The health sector in Gaza is collapsing

The Director General of the Ministry of Health in Gaza, Dr. Munir al-Barsh, warned of the critical health situation in light of the ongoing war and blockade.

In a statement, al-Barsh said, “We are facing a real health threat. The spread of waterborne diseases reflects the collapse of the health and environmental infrastructure. The lack of laboratory testing equipment and the shortage of necessary medicines and antibiotics could turn a limited number of cases into a widespread outbreak that would be difficult to control.”

Al-Barsh added that hospitals in the Gaza Strip are operating beyond their capacity, especially emergency and intensive care units. He warned that delays in diagnosis and treatment could lead to serious complications, most notably kidney failure, hepatitis, internal bleeding, and meningitis, and that the disease could be fatal in some severe cases.

In a related context, medical authorities expressed grave concern over recent threats to halt the operations of 37 international organizations supporting the health sector. They believe this move will undermine the limited efforts to curb the spread of epidemics and will plunge the Gaza Strip into a humanitarian and health catastrophe that will be difficult to contain given the scarcity of resources and the continued blockade. The Ministry of Health issued an urgent appeal to citizens to adhere to personal hygiene, avoid contact with stagnant water, and prevent children from playing in areas where water collects. It also stressed the importance of covering and disinfecting wounds, while simultaneously calling on the international community to exert pressure to allow the entry of medical equipment, laboratory testing supplies, and materials for the rehabilitation of damaged health centers.